DuVal takes work abroad

By Robb Murray
Free Press Staff Writer

MANKATO November 05, 2007 12:09 am

— There’s a striking bronze sculpture in the office of Sister Katherine DuVal, superintendent of Loyola Catholic School, head of the Mankato province of the School Sisters of Notre Dame.
It’s called “Crack the Whip,” but if you think it’s because of her firm hand in discipline matters or the way she motivates her staff, you’re wrong. Like, exact-opposite wrong.
The sculpture shows four children, suspended in intense animation, caught up in the exhilarating game that gives the sculpture its name. The faces are pure joy. The energy is raw. It is 100 percent fun.
“Children must be allowed to play,” DuVal says, gazing at the sculpture with a look that’s at once whimsical and a little sad.
Where DuVal is going, she won’t be able to bring “Crack the Whip.” It’s too big and heavy to haul across the Atlantic to Rome, site of her latest career move, and site of the world headquarters of the SSND.
The spirit the sculpture evokes, though, is one that will never be taken out of DuVal. And she hopes that spirit will help her travel the world and spread the word of Jesus and the good work she says SSND does worldwide.
DuVal has been elected to serve on the seven-member council responsible for traveling the world and making sure the goals of the 4,000-member SSND are carried out, completed, worked or otherwise invoked. For DuVal, it will be the first time in a long time that she won’t report for duty each morning in a schoolhouse. Instead, she’ll learn a few languages, globetrot and visit sisters around the world.
It comes with a price, though. A big one. Loyola. She’s proud of the work she’s done and the friendships she’s made.
“It’s hard to leave,” she said. “I think we’re right at that pivotal moment of making that great leap forward, and I won’t be there to see that leap ... That’s hard.”
From Crookston
DuVal was born and raised in Crookston, where she attended Crookston Cathedral Catholic High School. In high school she didn’t compete in sports because there were no teams for girls. She participated in the closest thing to athletics for girls, however: cheerleading.
She liked many sports, including football, baseball and volleyball. Her favorite, however, was swimming. Not being able to swim competitively didn’t stop her from developing her skills.
After high school she entered a Benedictine monastery. But after a year she realized it was a poor fit for her life and she left. She began working for a company that installed computers and was assigned to a project working with a company in Mankato owned by the Coughlan family.
Once here for a while, the Coughlans suggested she teach some computer classes for high schoolers. Her decision to try it turned out to be one of the most influential of her life.
School Sisters
Helping her teach that class was a sister from SSND. And in that class were several other sisters interesting in learning about computers.
The sisters started inviting her to dinner and to church services.
“They were so happy, so hospitable to me,” DuVal said.
Eventually, she decided to join SSND.
At first, she thought little of the sacrifice her decision would mean. Only later, when having to give up her possessions, such as her car — “I cried,” she said — did she think about it. But even then it didn’t bother her much to start of life different from the one most of us dream about as we grow up.
“Do I miss having a family? Yes. Do I miss someone having his arms around me? You bet,” she said. “But I’ve gained so much more.”
The next five years
When the SSND convened its 22nd General Chapter in September, DuVal was there representing the Mankato province — one of six in North America and one of 20 in the world. Mankato’s province has about 350 sister members. There are about 4,000 SSND sisters worldwide.
The general chapter gathering brings sisters from around the globe together once every five years to determine the vision and direction the SSND will take for the following five years.
This time, when all the provinces had their say, the SSND decided to pursue a three-pronged vision they’re calling “Solidarity.”
1. They hope to cherish the diversity that exists within its ranks, and to spread the word that all humanity, and all living things, exist as one on earth.
2. Enhance education and increase efforts to reach marginalized populations.
3. Celebrate the Eucharist. Says the SSND statement, “we are ready to lay down our lives to be bread that is blessed, broken and shared for the life of the world.”
DuVal says she wants her work to continue making a difference in people’s lives the way she has with Loyola Catholic School.
She leaves Loyola knowing she’s done her best to position the school well for success. Among her favorite achievements are: Bringing the former Mankato Area Catholic Schools together in one unified entity; Encouragement of a strong school board; technological growth; and the transformation of the PTO to the Home and School Association.
“My style is to really encourage people to take leadership,” she said.
It’s also her style to not take herself, or life, too seriously.
“Crack the Whip” is an appropriate piece of art for her office because to meet DuVal is to meet a woman who never forgot how much fun school, and life, can be.
DuVal, 63, still hits the midway at the fair and doesn’t shy away from rides that would make other, younger adults sick. She’s Bungee jumped.
And after a hard week at the office, DuVal winds down in a way that most people past their second decade of life wouldn’t dream of.
She walks out of her school building, heads over to the playground and hops on one of the swings. And then she swings until she’s ready to go home.